Precision leaf sampling device

ABSTRACT

A precision leaf sampling device in which a circular sample of a leaf is cut therefrom by a circular cutter cooperating with a revolving anvil and collected in a sample bottle forming a part of the device. A counter is mounted on the device for counting each cutting motion of the device so as to count the number of samples collected in the jar. The device is hand held and is hand operated and may be used in the field for cutting samples of leaves while permitting the leaves to remain on their plant.

United States Patent 191 Willett 1451 Nov. 25, 1975 PRECISION LEAF SAMPLING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Norman F. Willett, 1334 Monroe Bay Ave., Colonial Beach, Va. 22443 22 Filed: Oct. 9, 1974 21 Appl, No.: 513,227

[52] US. Cl. 73/4252; 83/167; 83/684; 83/919 [51] Int. Cl. G01N 1/08 [58] Field of Search 73/4252; 83/167, 919, 83/684, 685

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,853,133 9/1958 Norman et al. .r 83/919 3,276,303 10/1966 Tompos 83/167 3,648,555 3/1972 Schraud 83/l67 Primary Examiner-S. Clement Swisher Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Blair & Brown [57] ABSTRACT A precision leaf sampling device in which a circular sample of a leaf is cut therefrom by a circular cutter cooperating with a revolving anvil and collected in a sample bottle forming a part of the device. A counter is mounted on the device for counting each cutting motion of the device so as to count the number of samples collected in the jar. The device is hand held and is hand operated and may be used in the field for cutting samples of leaves while permitting the leaves to remain on their plant.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Sheet 2 of 2 U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 PRECISION LEAF SAMPLING DEVICE I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a precision leaf sampling device for collecting samples from leaves for laboratory analysis.

2. Summary of the Invention The precision leaf sampling device of the present invention consists of a hand held, hand actuated device for rotating an anvil against a cutter under spring tension to cut a sample from a leaf and force the sample into a specimen jar while simultaneously counting the sample as it is collected.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device for cutting samples from leaves without injury to the leaf or the sample while collecting the sample and counting the sample.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown in use cutting a sample from a leaf;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken along the line 22-of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a precision leaf sampling device constructed in accordance with the invention.

The precision leaf sampling device 10 includes a chassis 11 having a curved handle 12 fixedly mounted thereon. A cutter support 13 is rigidly secured to the .chassis 11 at the lower end thereof and extends horizontally outwardly therefrom having a bore 14 extending therethrough. An annular recess 15 is formed in the icutter support 13 to receive an annular cutter l6 seated .therein. The cutter 16 has a circular cutting edge 17 formed thereon by a conical wall 18 intersecting a bore :19 extending through the cutter 16. The bore 19 and .the bore 14 have the same diameter.

A horizontally extending support 20 is integrally formed with the chassis 11 and has a vertical bore 21 extending therethrough and axially aligned with the bore 14 in the cutter support 13. The support 20 is spaced above the cutter support 13. A guide support 22 is integrally formed on the chassis l1 spaced above the support 20 and has a vertical bore 23 extending therethrough in axial alignment with the bores 21 and 14. The guide support 22 has a vertically extending keyway 24 formed therein.

A lever 25 is pivotally secured to the chassis 11 by means of a pivot bolt 26 which extends through a bore 27 in the lever 25 and a bore 28 in the chassis 11. A washer 29 is positioned on the bolt 26 and is received in a circular recess 30 in the lever 25. A nut 31 engages 2 over the bolt 26 to lock the bolt 26 in the lever 25 and chassis 11. An elongate handle 32 is integrally formed on the lever 25 and is arranged in spaced relation to the handle 12. A cam element 32 is integrally formed on the lever 25 for reasons to be assigned.

A housing 33 of cylindrical form is slidably mounted in the bore 23 and has a vertical key 34 formed thereon slidably positioned in the keyway 24. The housing 33 has a reduced diameter barrel 35 on its lower portion. A generally cylindrical anvil support 36 is slidably mounted in the housing 33 and has a reduced diameter lower extension 37 which projects below the housing 33. An internal annular flange 38 on the lower end of the barrel 35 engages against the lower edge of the support 36 to retain the support 36 within the housing 33. A cylindrical anvil 38 is detachably secured to the lower end of the reduced diameter portion 37 of the support 36 by a plurality of cap screws 39. The anvil 38 has a diameter such as to permit the lower face to engage the cutting edge 17 of the cutter 16. The support 36 has an axial bore 40 extending therethrough and the anvil 38 has an axial bore 41 extending therethrough. A counter bore 42 opens into the upper end of the support 36 and has a washer 43 seated therein. A cylindrical plug 44 is seated in the upper end of the housing 33 and is secured thereto by set screws 45 extending through bores 46 in the housing 33 into bores 47 formed in the plug 44.

An elongate helical actuator 48 is rigidly formed on the plug 44 and extends downwardly therefrom. The actuator 48 has a diameter such as to be loosely received in the bores 40, 41. A coil spring 49 encom passes the actuator 48 pressing against the plug 44 at its upper end and against the washer 43 at its lower end. The coil spring 49 normally urges the support 36 downwardly in the housing 33.

A pair of guide pins 50 have threaded bodies 51 threaded into opposed threaded bores 52 of the support 36. The guide pins 50 engage in helical grooves 52 on opposite sides of the helical actuator 48 so as to cause the support 36 to rotate about its axis upon vertical movement with respect to the housing 33.

A coil spring 53 encompasses the barrel 35 of the housing 33 engaging at its lower end the support 20 to normally urge the housing 33 upwardly in the guide support 22.

The spring 49 permits the support 36 and the anvil 38 to move upwardly in the housing 33 as the housing 33 moves downwardly under pressure from the lever 25 and handle 32. The upward movement of the support 36 causes the support 36 to be rotated by the guide pins 50 moving in the helical grooves 52 so as to rotate the anvil 38 and the object to be cut against the cutting edge 17 to provide a cutting action prior to the actuator 48 moving into the bore 19 to move the cut sample into a sample jar 54 secured to the cutter support 13 by specimen jar holder 55 secured to the cutter support 13 by screws 56.

A counter 57 is secured to chassis 11 by a pair of threaded cap screws 58 extending through bores 59. The counter 57 has an actuator finger 60 secured thereto and arranged to be engaged by an arm 61 inte grally formed on the plug 44 and extending outwardly therefrom.

In the use and operation of the invention the device 10 is positioned with the cutter l6 engaging the underside of a leaf 62 with the anvil 38 positioned on the other side of the leaf 62. Pressure is then brought to bear on the handle 32 causing the lever 25 to pivot about the pivot bolt 26 so that the cam member 32 is pressed downwardly against the plug 44. This action causes the housing 33 to slide vertically downwardly in the guide support 22 while being held against rotation about its own axis by the key 34 sliding in the keyway 24. Movement downwardly of the housing 33 compresses the spring 53 against the support so as to re turn the housing 33 to its normal position when pressure on the handle 32 is removed. Downward movement of the housing 33 brings the anvil 38 into contact with the upper surface of the leaf 62 so that as continued pressure is brought to bear to move the housing 33 downwardly the anvil 38 is rotated to produce a cutting action between the bottom of the anvil 38 and the cutting edge 17 on the cutter 16. As the cutting is com pleted the actuator 48 will move downwardly through the bore 19 forcing the cut sample downwardly into the specimen jar 54 positioned therebelow. Release of the handle 32 will then permit the anvil 38 to return to its position spaced above the cutter l6 and the device is ready for the next cutting of a sample. Movement of the housing 33 downwardly with respect to the guide support 22 causes the arm 61 to depress the finger 60 on the counter 57 to count one sample cut and deposit in the specimen jar 54. The counter 57 is conventional and has an indica window 63 through which the count obtained thereby is visible.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be re- 4 sorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1

What is claimed is:

l. A precision leaf sampling device comprising a chassis, a lever pivotally mounted on said chassis, a handle on said chassis, a second handle on said lever with said lever pivoted on said chassis as said handles are squeezed together, a specimen jar detachably connected to said chassis at the lower end thereof, a circular cutter supported on said chassis above said specimen jar and have an opening extending therethrough communicating with said specimen jar, an anvil mounted for vertical movement on said chassis for cooperative cutting action with said cutter. and means on said lever cooperating with said anvil for moving said anvil vertically with respect to said cutter to cut a specimen and move the specimen into said specimen jar.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means is provided on said device for rotating said anvil simultaneously with the vertical movement of said anvil with respect to said cutter.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said chassis for counting the vertical movements of said anvil.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said device actuated by said leverfor rotating said anvil with respect to said anvil cutter.

5; A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein spring means are interposed between said lever and said anvil to provide a spring action movement of said anyil with respect to said cutter. 

1. A precision leaf sampling device comprising a chassis, a lever pivotally mounted on said chassis, a handle on said chassis, a second handle on said lever with said lever pivoted on said chassis as said handles are squeezed together, a specimen jar detachably connected to said chassis at the lower end thereof, a circular cutter supported on said chassis above said specimen jar and have an opening extending therethrough communicating with said specimen jar, an anvil mounted for vertical movement on said chassis for cooperative cutting action with said cutter, and means on said lever cooperating with said anvil for moving said anvil vertically with respect to said cutter to cut a specimen and move the specimen into said specimen jar.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means is provided on said device for rotating said anvil simultaneously with the vertical movement of said anvil with respect to said cutter.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said chassis for counting the vertical movements of said anvil.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said device actuated by said lever for rotating said anvil with respect to said anvil cutter.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein spring means are interposed between said lever and said anvil to provide a spring action movement of said anvil with respect to said cutter. 